Solwhit likely to skip Festival Macaire aims to get in Tune Presvis oozes class in Dubai

28 January 2011 03:00 PM

Charles Byrnes has confirmed it is "more than likely" stable star Solwhit will bypass the Cheltenham Festival in favour of a trip to Aintree in April.

The seven-year-old had to settle for second to Hurricane Fly for the third successive time in last weekend's Irish Champion Hurdle, and Byrnes sees little point in letting his charge line up in the English equivalent.

There is still a chance he could step up to three miles for the first time and tackle Big Buck's in the World Hurdle, but Byrnes currently prefers waiting for the Aintree Hurdle over two and a half miles, which he won in 2009.

"The Champion Hurdle is definitely out for him now," said Byrnes. "It's more than likely we'll wait for Aintree, but he has the World Hurdle as (an) option if we want it."

Macaire aims to get in Tune

Guillame Macaire plans to give Royal Tune another run on British soil before deciding whether to let him line up at the Cheltenham Festival.

Royal Tune ran away with a Ffos Las handicap over the Christmas period but Macaire is keen not to aim too high with the young chaser just yet.

"At the moment, I have not decided where to go next, but my plan is to run him just a couple of times in Britain this season before having a rest," said Macaire.

"Everything depends on his next run. If he's really impressive and does his job well, then we might think about Cheltenham.

"But he is just a six-year-old and he is still young for the British type of racing."

Presvis oozes class in Dubai

Luca Cumani's Presvis returned to his brilliant best as he streaked to victory in the Group Two Al Rashidiya under the floodlights in Meydan, Dubai.

Frankie Dettori's mount Caymans had been keen early but moved smoothly to the head of affairs turning for home in the nine-furlong contest.

However, Presvis sliced rapidly through the pack and the race was over in a matter of strides.

The admirable Steele Tango ran another blinder for Roger Curtis to chase the winner home with Caymans third for Saeed bin Suroor.

Cumani said of his seven-year-old: "He did it very, very well. The next stop will be the next Group race here at this trip and then the Dubai Duty Free on World Cup night."